


On a Wednesday in a Cafe

by kakotheres



Series: Just Write! Fluff Bingo 2019 [5]
Category: Glee
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 00:30:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20017303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakotheres/pseuds/kakotheres
Summary: Kurt and Adam get that cup of coffee, but Kurt's brain tries to get in the way.





	On a Wednesday in a Cafe

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Just Write! Discord server, Fluff Bingo 2019.  
> Prompt: First Date

Kurt checked off the contents of his bags against the list he had made on his phone. His schedule today was even more packed than usual, not allowing for any time to double back to his apartment, so he needed to make sure he brought everything with him the first time. At first, when Adam had suggested Wednesday for coffee, he had thought about saying it wouldn’t work. Wednesdays were always tight days for Kurt, between his acting theory class, dance with Miss July, and his job at _Vogue._ Plus, Wednesday just seemed like such an odd day for a first date. But Adam had followed it up by saying it was one of his less busy days, so Kurt had accepted it despite the strain on his schedule. He didn’t want to come off as cold or disinterested. He had often listened to his friends complaining about the trouble of finding a good time for a first date with someone new. They often ended up giving up before anything actually happened. Kurt knows that he’s a bit of a high maintenance person and that his intense schedule wasn’t an attraction to a romantic interest. He wasn’t sure where this possible thing with Adam might go, but he hated to shoot himself in the foot before he even had a chance to try.

So, once he had agreed upon a time and place with Adam, he had sat down with his calendar and meticulously planned out every inch of his day. Kurt was unfamiliar with the coffee place Adam had suggested, so he had made sure to plan in plenty of time for potentially getting lost and trying to find it. If he ended up there too early, he could always circle around the block a few times to settle his nerves. Make sure he didn’t look too eager. It would mean leaving work at _Vogue_ a little early, but he had already cleared it with Isabelle so that shouldn’t be a problem. He just desperately wanted this to work.

Kurt knew he was probably overthinking everything, but he was completely out of his depth. The only knowledge he has of first dates comes secondhand from books, movies, magazine articles, and his friends’ stories. And the dating lives of Glee kids and theatre majors doesn’t exactly lead to a comforting picture of a relaxed, carefree cup of coffee. With Blaine, they had been friends first. What he thought were dates weren’t – apparently, they had just been many, many cups of coffee and dinners between friends. Blaine had made it clear to him that he didn’t see him in that way, and what Kurt had been seeing as dates were actually just…friends spending time together.

Which was fine, he could handle rejection, but then Blaine had decided that he _was_ interested in Kurt. After he sang a song about a dead bird? Because then he _saw_ Kurt. That declaration was immediately followed up with a kiss, and then they had been boyfriends – all before ever going out on a real first date. Going for a cup of coffee with someone who had directly expressed romantic interest in him, with the intention of seeing where it might go from there…it was all new territory from Kurt.

And that was completely avoiding the whole ‘just got out of a long-term relationship, in which he had been cheated on’ part. Looking back over his relationship with Blaine, something that Kurt often felt himself doing during any moment of rest, Kurt was starting to recognize that it may have been a lot more toxic than he recognized at the time. So many accusations, so little trust. That night at _Scandals_ , apologizing for saying no…Kurt was carrying so much baggage. Adam seemed like such a wonderfully sweet, attractive man. Someone who had their life together, who knew who he was and what he wanted.

There were so many ways that this could go wrong.

*****

Many hours later, Kurt’s pessimistic prediction was coming depressingly true. _Vogue_ had been chaos, and now Kurt was running incredibly late to his date with Adam.

At first, things had been fine. His classes had gone well, Cassandra July had even had good things to say about his _tour en l’air._ After class, he had scheduled an hour to eat his lunch and work on his essay for Music Theory before heading to the _Vogue_ offices. Unfortunately, his anxiety about his date with Adam had kept him from concentrating on his work, and he hadn’t gotten anything done that he had needed to. His mind kept spinning back and forth, debating if he was really ready to dive right back into another relationship so soon. Rachel had encouraged him, saying that he needed to get himself out there, but she also just wanted another couple to go on double dates with. Kurt couldn’t take her advice as being entirely altruistic.

And he still missed Blaine, so much. Even though things had all gone wrong, once upon a time the other boy had been his best friend. They had shared so much in common, and it was so nice to finally feel that with someone else. Having someone else who understood him. He truly did love Blaine, and their thoughts for the future felt more like plans than dreams. So much of how he had defined himself over the past year was in relation to Blaine…and now he was faced with the prospect of untangling the threads of who he was from who they were. How was he supposed to think about forging something with someone new, when he was still healing from a broken heart?

In the end, those thoughts had completely derailed him. And now he was left with a pile of work that needed to get done instead of heading home and unwinding once the date was over. And now he was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to let thoughts of his work go while he was trying to spend time with Adam. Once he got latched onto a thought or worry, it was so hard for him to put it aside. Blaine had always hated that, telling Kurt that he needed to live more _spontaneously_ and to just let things go. As if Kurt wasn’t trying to do exactly that! Blaine seemed to have trouble understanding how Kurt’s anxiety took over his brain and made it impossible to function.

Once he was finished with lunch, Kurt had headed off to work where things only got worse. The office was in complete chaos thanks to several projects suddenly being brought off the backburner by the head office. Kurt had been fielding calls left and right, trying to gather information from different departments so that he could help Isabelle formulate a plan of attack. By the time he had managed to get things back under control and at a point where he could walk away, he had completely missed the mark for leaving early. He had been forced to run to the subway, just barely managing to catch the train before the doors closed.

In reality, he knew he wasn’t actually late. This train would drop him off a few blocks away from the coffee shop, and he shouldn’t be more than 5 minutes later than the time they had agreed on. But Kurt still felt his worry and unease begin to build. Nothing about the last few hours had gone according to his carefully made plan, and Kurt was completely thrown off. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, anxiety spiraling out of control. He closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing. In and out, a steady pattern. He was determined not to show up to meet Adam looking completely insane. No matter how he felt.

*****

By the time Kurt reached the door of the coffee shop, he had his breathing and heart rate mostly back to normal, though the occasional hitching breath remained. Minute tremors still ran down his arms and into his fingers, the aftershocks of his panic-induced adrenaline rush coursing their way through his body. He had almost texted Adam to say that something had come up, that he wouldn’t make it after all. All he wanted to do was head home, throw himself under his covers, and hide away from the world for a little bit. Forgot this whole idea. But in the end, he couldn’t do that to Adam. He really was looking forward to getting to know the other man better, and he didn’t want to waste the opportunity he had. If he bailed now, who knew if Adam would be interested in trying some other time. With Kurt’s luck, Adam would immediately wash his hands of him and walk away if Kurt made this date too inconvenient.

Kurt pushed the door open, pulling his shoulders back and lifting his chin. Entering the shop, he scanned the room, spotting Adam sitting at a table in one corner wearing his customary beanie over golden curls. He had a cup of something in front of him, and an open notebook on the table in front of him. Upon spotting Kurt, Adam let out a welcoming smile and gave a little wave. Adam pushed his chair back, standing up as Kurt quickly made his way over to him.

“Hey,” Kurt said as he approached. “Sorry, I’m a bit late. Work was crazy.”

“No worries, Kurt.” Adam smiled warmly at him. “I’ve been here for a bit, getting some writing done. It’s generally a relaxing place for it.” He gestured at the other chair at the table. “Please, sit down. Can I get you something to drink?”

While Adam was up at the cashier, Kurt took a second to take a few more deep breaths as he settled in. Everything would be fine if he could just get his brain in line.

Adam returned to the table, placing a cup down in front of Kurt and sitting back down in his own chair. He closed his notebook and set it aside. Kurt took a sip from his latte, letting the warmth sink into his bones. He savored the taste of coffee on his tongue, letting the familiar sensation center him. Adam studied him as he wrapped his hands around his own drink.

“Kurt, are you alright?’ He frowned. “You’re trembling. Is something wrong?”

Kurt quickly tucked his hands below the table. “Oh, no, sorry, I’m fine. Just…a little nervous, I guess,” he said with a weak laugh. Adam continued to look at him, his brow furrowed. Kurt sighed. “It’s just been a bit of a rough day. I left work later than I meant to, and I had to rush here, and well…it just threw me off. Had your typical panicking-on-the-subway New York experience!” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, a sheepish grin on his face.

Adam continued to watch him, a gentle look in his eye that Kurt wasn’t sure what to do with. “I’m sorry you had a rough day, love.” He paused. “If this isn’t a good time, I won’t be offended if you just want to do a raincheck…”

“No, no!” Kurt said quickly, one hand coming up to fiddle with his cup. “No, I want to be here. I’m sorry, my brain just gets in the way sometimes.” He gave Adam a weak smile. He was already ruining everything.

“They have an annoying tendency of doing that.” A small smiled appeared on Adam’s face. “So, tell me about your day. What happened at work?” Apparently, Adam was still willing to give him a chance, despite his awkwardness.

“Well, apparently it started when my boss got an e-mail…” Kurt launched into the tale, with Adam chiming in from time to time with commiseration and encouragement. He seemed genuinely interested in Kurt’s work at _Vogue,_ which helped to ease Kurt’s nerves. From there, conversation flowed easily between the two of them. Kurt found himself forgetting his nerves as Adam’s easy-going nature continued to shine through. The other man laughed with his whole body, throwing his head back and expressing himself unashamedly. Eventually, the topic shifted to the origins of the Adam’s Apples, and how Adam – a theatre major with a focus on playwriting – had ended up founding a show choir.

“To be honest, I just wanted a group to sing and perform and relax with. I’m greatly appreciative of all the vocal talent that’s around NYADA. Yourself included, obviously.” Kurt blushed as he took another sip from his latte. “I’m certainly realistic enough to realize I’m nowhere near that caliber. But I enjoy singing as a way to express myself and take a break from the intensity of school.”

“It’s certainly a tough place,” Kurt said. “Very…cutthroat sometimes.”

Adam nodded. “Precisely. It’s stressful. So, I decided I would create a place where we could experiment and just have fun with music, without it having to be tied to professional critiques or grades. Gives us a chance to try new things. I’ve really tried hard to cultivate a supportive atmosphere in the group.” A warm smile spread across his face. “I love my Apples…they’re a great group of people.”

Kurt smiled in response. “They’re absolutely wonderful. I’m having such a great time getting to know everyone.” He leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face. “It’s good to have friends who are so invested in each other’s success rather than tearing each other down.” Kurt felt his smile slipping, his eyes staring at a small dent on the table between them. “Very different from my old show choir.”

Adam reached across the table and took Kurt’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Kurt lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting Adam’s. “I’m very glad you’ve joined us, then,” he said softly. “And not only because it means I get the chance to know you better.” He released Kurt’s hand and sat back. “To be honest, I’ve never really been able to wrap my mind around the idea of truly -” his face scrunched up “- competitive show choir. I mean, it’s show choir. How do you take that too seriously?”

Kurt laughed. “I get what you mean. As much as I enjoy the competitions, it does seem a bit silly sometimes. For some of my friends, you’d think our winning or losing the competition was the equivalent to getting to debut on Broadway or something.”

“And is that what you’re interested in, making your way to the professional stage?” Adam asked.

Kurt rested his head on his palm, elbow pressing into the wood of the table. “It’s funny…If you’d asked me that when I was in high school, I would have responded with a resounding ‘yes’. But now…I’m not so sure.” He paused for a moment. “I’m definitely pursuing it, but I want to keep my options open as much as possible. Life on the stage is so unpredictable. You have to have your big break, get seen by the right people. And I’ve never been a particularly lucky person.”

“But you are a talented one,” Adam responded.

Kurt blushed. “Not everyone has seemed to see that. And realistically, I have a unique voice and stage presence, which means that the opportunities are going to be even more limited. While I think it would be great if it happened, I’m not sure I want to rest everything on the possibility, you know?”

Adam nodded. “That’s understandable. I certainly believe you have the skill and talent to make it to Broadway, but you’re right. Luck definitely plays a part. Not a bad idea to have other options to pursue.”

“Precisely. I really enjoy working for Isabelle, and I’ve always loved fashion…so maybe there’s a career there for me. For now, I’m just glad to be in New York. I’ve always dreamed of living here, and sometimes I still have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real.”

“Well, you certainly seem to fit in here quite well,” Adam said. “I’ve never been to Ohio myself. I’ve only heard what I assume are terribly one-sided views of it…but somehow I can’t quite picture you there.”

“It was certainly a struggle. The only reason I go back is my family.” He paused for a long moment. “There’s…honestly not much left in Ohio for me, I don’t think.”

Thoughts of Blaine, and the life that they could’ve had flittered through his mind. If they had stayed together, would New York have been their home? Is that where they would’ve gotten married, had their kids? Or would Blaine have wanted to move back to Ohio at some point?

No, that was over. It didn’t matter what might’ve happened…it was time to move on.

*****

“So, as wonderful as this has been…I really need to get home to work on that paper,” Kurt said reluctantly. He had completely lost track of time, enjoying listening to Adam discuss his latest project. He could listen to the other man’s accent forever.

Adam pressed his hand to his chest, over his heart. “Ditching me for schoolwork?” He gasped. “I’m wounded. That seems like just an excuse to get out of bad date.”

Kurt’s eyes widened in concern. “No! I’ve been having a fantastic time.” He started to wring his hands together. “I promise it’s not a brushoff, I really do, it’s just like I was saying, I didn’t get anything done yet and – “

“Kurt, Kurt, it’s alright!” Adam lifted up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I believe you. I was only teasing. I’m sorry.” He looked contrite.

Kurt blushed. Once again, he’d let his anxiety jump to the wrong conclusion. “Oh, no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have – “

Adam laid a hand on his. “It’s alright, Kurt, I promise. I should be getting home too – I have an early morning. Can I walk you to the subway?”

Kurt relaxed. “Sure, I’d like that.”

The two of them stood up and grabbed their bags. They exited the coffee shop and turned toward the direction of the subway. As they walked side by side in comfortable silence, Adam reached over and took Kurt’s hand in his, weaving his fingers with Kurt’s. Adam’s hand was warm and gentle, just like the man himself. Kurt could feel a deep sense of contentment seeping through his own body. They walked down the sidewalk, shoulders gently brushing together until they reached the staircase to the subway station. They moved to the side, just out of the flow of traffic, both seeming reluctant to let the other go quite yet. Hands still clasped together, Adam turned to face Kurt, a gentle smile on his lips.

“Well, I guess I should let you go. I’ve had a fantastic time with you, Kurt. I hope we can do this again sometime.”

“Definitely. I guess…I’ll see you at rehearsal on Friday?” Kurt shifted his weight from foot to foot. He didn’t know what to do…was Adam going to kiss him? Did he want him to? Should he kiss Adam? Did he want to? He wasn’t sure, and his mind started to spiral down all the possibilities and all the ways that everything could go wrong.

“Sounds good,” Adam said, his voice breaking through Kurt’s thoughts. He released Kurt’s hand. Kurt braced himself, still torn about whether or not he should try to kiss the other man. He didn’t want to ruin anything. Adam was smiling at him, a soft look in his eyes. He reached a hand up and cupped the side of Kurt’s face, his thumb stroking his cheek. He reached his other arm around Kurt’s back and pulled Kurt into a gentle hug. He ran his hands up and down Kurt’s back, leaving trails of warmth everywhere they went. Kurt tucked his head into the other man’s shoulder, breathing in deeply and wrapping his own arms around Adam’s waist. This…this was perfect.

Reluctantly, the two separated after a few moments. Kurt took a breath and looked up into Adam’s eyes with a smile. “Call me?” he asked.

“I will.” He responded with a wide grin, eyes crinkling in the corners. “Take care, Kurt.”

And with that, Kurt turned away and started walking down the steps to the train, the life he left behind in Ohio never further from his mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is a line from Taylor Swift's "Begin Again"


End file.
